Goodbye, Sun
by stella-pegasi
Summary: A quick trip off-world by jumper goes horribly wrong. Will they find the jumper in time? John S. / Team K Complete


**Title: Goodbye, Sun**

**Author: **stella_pegasi

**Rating: **K+

**Spoilers: **None

**Summary: **A quick trip off-world by jumper goes horribly wrong. Will they find the jumper in time? John S. / Team K+ Complete

**Disclaimer:** I do not own them; I would have treated them better.

**Notes: **Short and a tiny bit dark but I always have faith that the Atlantis team comes through for each other.

**Goodbye, Sun**

The jumper was slowly drifting through the solar system as if it was on a lazy afternoon jaunt. Its path appeared aimless to anyone who might observe it but the gravity well of the local star had caught the small jumper like a spider catches a fly in its web. It would not be long before the jumper and its passenger would disappear into the corona of the star.

Inside the lone occupant was barely conscious; the air was getting very thin, food had run out days before, and many hours ago, he had run out of water. He had been drifting for a very long time.

The mission was a simple one, take a jumper through the gate, drop off supplies to one of their best trading partners, and return to Atlantis. It was a quick, routine trip; he had volunteered because he was bored, having just returned to active duty after his latest injury. He grabbed the first jumper that was available, helped load the supplies and he was off. He hadn't thought to check the provisions normally carried on the jumpers and restock; if he had, time might not have run out so soon.

He was slumped in the pilot's seat; boots discarded on the deck next to him. Though things were becoming hazy, he realized that his time was about up. The air was dangerously low, no water, and there was no way to misinterpret the data on the HUD. He was heading into the sun and there wasn't enough power to pull free. That was the problem; power to the drive pods had been knocked out when the jumper, on final approach to the space gate, was struck by an errant small asteroid. The jolt had knocked the jumper into a flat, spinning trajectory that took it away from the planet and out into the sparseness of the solar system toward its sun.

The sun would soon begin to flood the jumper with heat and he imagined that the radiation levels were already rising. He had decided he didn't want to know, so he had shut off the HUD. He tried to focus but he was finding it more and more difficult. He could see his 9-mil lying on the console in front of him, waiting for him to decide when the time was right to use it.

He had no doubts that they were looking for him; but he also knew that he had been thrown a long way from the planet. It was almost impossible to find him if all they had were jumpers to conduct a search since the Daedalus was back on Earth. He had managed to re-route what power he had left to life support but he couldn't get communications online. He was able to stop the jumper from spinning, thinking that if he could remain in one place, they might find him. The sun, however, had other ideas. He would have laughed if he had the energy, some brave hero he turned out to be; another stupid mistake but this time it was going to cost him his own life. He found comfort that, at least, no one else was going to die because of him.

Memories kept flooding his brain; he fought hard to keep them at bay by replaying old movies and football games in his head. Anything to keep from remembering the people he had come to care about. As he got weaker, he was finding it harder to keep their faces pushed away and pain was beginning to build in his heart. He didn't want to leave them, not now; not ever.

He glanced at his sidearm and decided that he would wait until the heat from the sun became unbearable. Then, and only then, he would end the misery. As he drifted into sleep, he knew he had to give them just a bit more time; he knew they were out there, searching the solar system for him.

The bump to the jumper was slight but discernable; he awoke but he was so weak that he couldn't react. He thought he could hear the jumper ramp opening and wondered why he hadn't been sucked into space. He could hear voices and decided he was hallucinating; it must be time to end this. He tried to sit up while reaching for his gun.

"Hey, Sheppard, what do you think you're doing?" A warm, deep, familiar voice was speaking to him and he felt a hand grab his and keep him from reaching his weapon.

Struggling to understand, he tried to pull his hand away but the other hand wouldn't let go. He focused as hard as he could and slowly the face to go with the voice became clear.

"Ronon?" His voice was weak and raspy but he was able to get out the name.

"Yeah, Sheppard, it's me. We sure are happy to see you." Ronon was grinning widely as he knelt down next to his friend.

"Let me through, big fella." A familiar brogue reached his ears. Ronon patted Sheppard on the top of his head and moved out of the way.

"Carson?"

"Yeah, it's me, son. You're gonna be fine; we've got ya now." He reached up and Carson grabbed his hand and squeezed softly to reassure their lost friend that he was lost no more.

"John, it is Teyla. We are so happy to have found you; we have been looking for over three weeks. We were so worried." He felt her soft hand on his cheek and heard her laugh. "I do believe, John Sheppard that you are in need of a shave."

Carson had placed an oxygen mask over his face but John pulled it off to ask, "How…how did you… find me?"

Putting the mask back on his always difficult patient, Carson answered, "Well, the Daedalus had just entered orbit on Earth when Woolsey notified the SGC of your disappearance. Colonel Caldwell and his crew unanimously decided to turn around immediately and get back here as fast as they could. They loaded provisions as quickly as possible and high-tailed it back to Pegasus in record time."

Teyla added, "With the stronger sensors on the Daedalus, Colonel Caldwell was able to locate you as soon he arrived. They brought the jumper into the hanger."

Sheppard reached up for Teyla and whispered, "Tell Caldwell…thanks…I owe him one."

"You're more than welcome, colonel." Sheppard heard the strong voice of Steven Caldwell nearby. "Just glad that we found you."

Someone grabbed his shoulder and he realized that Rodney was there. He leaned his head back, looking over his shoulder at the anxious scientist, "I coulda…used you, buddy."

Rodney's voice broke ever so slightly as he replied, "I wish I had been here; I really wish I had."

He felt strong hands lift him from the chair and he was placed on a gurney and rolled into the hanger bay on the Daedalus for the trip to the infirmary. He whispered something.

Rodney moved closer to Sheppard's face. "What did you say, John?"

Sheppard smiled slightly, "Tell the… sun…good bye."

_The end._


End file.
